A letter from Sir R- S- [i.e. Sir Robert Sibbald in defence of his "Scotia ilustrata, sive prodromus historiae naturalis."], to Dr. Archibald Pitcairn / [Sir Robert Sibbald].

  • Sibbald, Robert, Sir, 1641-1722
Date:
1709
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A letter from Sir R- S- [i.e. Sir Robert Sibbald in defence of his "Scotia ilustrata, sive prodromus historiae naturalis."], to Dr. Archibald Pitcairn / [Sir Robert Sibbald]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    account are now become publick, it is but rea- ionabLe my return of Thanks fhould be fo too, 1 can't follow a better Example than that you have fet me * and therefore I have bellow'd fome time in confidering your Writings, and have fenc you here fome Remarks I made upon them, as a Token of my Gratitude for the Pains you were pleas'd to take with mine. You were very kind in advifing me to read the Mathematicians * for I mult own I have had more afhftance from them than I expeQed, in making the following Obfervations. Tho' upon a clofer inquiry I find your Acquaintance is not very inti¬ mate with them, yet you every where talk of them as your particular Friends ; and profefs your felf fo great an Admirer of their way of fpeaking, that you chufe to make ufe of their Language.even where your Senfe wou'd be much clearer without it. For example in the 7th Page of your Book, De Legibus, you fay'That the mo ft learned. Robert Sibbald, propofed to himfelf this Yrcblem to be jclved in the/e words * and then you quote from my Book, what I defigned to do in my Natural Hiftory. An ordinary Man would have faid, Sir Robert Sibbald, undertook to write a Natural Hiftory, which you call Fropofing to himfelf a Yrcblem to be folved. In the foregoing Page you fall foul on the A- natomifts and me, for talking of the Triangular Figure of the Heart, for lav you with a demon- ftrative Air, in a very Univerfal Propofkion. Every Body mu ft have more than three Angles, Pray how many Angles has a Sphere? Or is a Sphere not a Body > I think in a Cone you'll have / - a 1